1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of aiming devices, such as a hand held weapon, sight orientation in the dark with a light source which only emits in the rearward direction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aiming lights have previously been placed on hand held weapons to boresight the weapon. The light sources used in the aiming lights may be of the visible type if detection is no problem, or of the infrared type if it is desired that the light not be detected by the unaided human eye. The infrared light may be detected by the use of appropriate infrared viewers. A disadvantage of using infrared light source is that someone else may use infrared viewers and detect the infrared light, and thus the location of the weapon.
Laser aiming lights have previously been used in boresighting hand held weapons. These lights, whether visible or infrared, may be detected. Further, in a total dark condition the laser does not aid in the alignment of the front and rear sights of the weapon. Foggy or hazy conditions tend to scatter or defract the laser beam thus making the beam ineffective.
Phosphor dots are also used under no light conditions but the main disadvantage of this is in the amount of time the phosphor will give off light before having to be exposed to an energy source to recharge the phosphors. The present fiber optic aiming aid is fully illuminated upon demand by applying power to a light source.